Electric guitar wiring trouble

[Hugh Notman]

Hello everyone!

I've started work on a basic electric guitar and so far I've wired a tone pot, a volume pot, an output jack, and a humbucker. However, when I put it all in, it doesn't work.

The black wires in the picture indicate that its ground and I've connected them in all in that incredibly ugly pile of solder. I have a 47 nf capacitor connected from one of the arms of the tone pot to the top of the pot. I've based all of this on a guitar electronics wiring diagram (shown below).

Be aware, this is a two wire humbucker not a four wire like in the picture. Also, I believe I was correct when I said that the long uncovered wire from the humbucker was ground.

Aside from my horrible soldering, do you see anything wrong with it?

I can upload more pictures if you need them, thank you! All help is appreciated!

 

[dorke]

Show the connections at the humbucker itself?
How do you test it?
You do know you have to vibrate a metal string near the pick-ups to make it work,right?
and look here:

 

[Hugh Notman]

Show the connections at the humbucker itself?
How do you test it?
You do know you have to vibrate a metal string near the pick-ups to make it work,right?
and look here:
View attachment 25715

The humbucker came with the two wires sticking out and no obvious way to see inside. The red wire coming out is the wire that was there when I bought it.

I put it in and played a regular electric guitar string (metal) and no sound came out through the amp.

Also, I'm fairly certain that they aren't touching.

That is the tip.

Do you see any other obvious flaws though?

 

[dorke]

No.
But,try this:
Disconnect the humbucker wires from the pot etc.
and connect them directly to the tip and sleeve(only that).
Put the amp at lower volume,Is there sound?

 

[Hugh Notman]

No.
But,try this:
Disconnect the humbucker wires from the pot etc.
and connect them directly to the tip and sleeve(only that).
Put the amp at lower volume,Is there sound?

Yes, it works like that.

 

[dorke]

O.K
The humbucker itself is fine.
What is written on the pots. and cap?

Now connect back the original way.
Look at the photo, looks like the black wire is touching the red(blue area).
Spread them well apart.
Put the pots. in a middle position and try again.





If it still doesn't work ,do this:
Disconnect the 2 wires leading to the tone pot,marked with blue arrows.
Working this way?

 

[Hugh Notman]

O.K
The humbucker itself is fine.
What is written on the pots. and cap?

Now connect back the original way.
Look at the photo, looks like the black wire is touching the red(blue area).
Spread them well apart.
Put the pots. in a middle position and try again.

View attachment 25734



If it still doesn't work ,do this:
Disconnect the 2 wires leading to the tone pot,marked with blue arrows.
Working this way?

View attachment 25735

It does not work that way.

And the wire was not touching.

They are both 200K linear pots

 

[BobK]

Am I blind or what? I see only one wire coming from the pickup.

Bob

 

[Bluejets]

Am I blind or what? I see only one wire coming from the pickup.

Bob

It's a single core shielded cable...

 

[Hugh Notman]

It's a single core shielded cable...

You're right and I've solved the problem. But thank you all for your help!

 

[BobK]

Yep, I was blind!

Bob